CAPE-TOWN, South-Africa, May 13, 2013/African Press Organization (APO)/ – Africa cannot continue to be marketed as a country, when it is a continent of 54 countries, which, by 2040 will have the largest workforce in the world. The statement was made by the Economic Commission for Africa’s Executive Secretary, Mr. Carlos Lopes at the World Economic Forum on Africa this week during a session aptly titled:Myth Busting; investing in Africa.

Mr. Lopes underscored that by 2040, Africa will be more urbanized‚ connected and educated. “It will be a very different picture from what is now,” he said.

Discussions underscored that perceptions on risks and uncertainties with respect to investing in Africa have been made to look like reality. “While some issues may be real, there are many advancements that bust perceptions of corruption, lack of growth and lack of capacity, among others.

The session underscored that Africa has a growing middle class. With increased incomes, the emerging picture shows a continent where two-thirds of its growth comes from consumption; as a result, Lagos has a much bigger purchasing power than Mumbai.

“Africa has twice as much per capita than India, more cell phones than India, less poor people than India, and we can go on and on! The mega trends are in favor of Africa,” stressed Lopes

But for the Continent to reap the demographic dividends, it must address the question of infrastructure, which is necessary for industrialization and for bringing the Continent’s rural areas to the global market. In this regard, a significant amount of money is needed to realize the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA) and since markets do not invest in these kinds of projects, the session underscored the need for alternative sources of funding.

“The good news is that money exists in Africa – but a shift in mindset is needed to tap into the half a trillion dollars sitting in African Central Banks as reserves,” stressed the panelists. PIDA projects, participants noted, could be broken into ‘short-range projects’, all aimed at a long-term goal.

The session also addressed the perception that Africa is lacking in skilled personnel and underscored that Africa has been on the cutting edge of innovations. However, branding and marketing of these innovations fails beyond the borders.

“Many African economies are run by informal sector, where banks do not come to the party and so the entrepreneurs in these informal sectors do not grow,” said a participant, stressing that the myth that must be busted is that these informal entrepreneurs cannot grow into big business with appropriate financing. The session acknowledged, however, that the lack of depth in the capital markets is real and it limits the possibilities for innovations to grow.

On the question of “corrupt African leaders”, the session acknowledged that the weakness lies in the capacity to investigate and get convictions, as well as lack of consistency and leadership.

Participants highlighted that the lack of a strategic vision makes corruption lead the narrative and countries like Malaysia, Indonesia are able to project their narratives on their strategic visions and less on corruption.

The need for consistency in regulatory frameworks and policy was stressed, “as it reduces the meddling of government in areas where the private sector is meant to play.”

In addition, it was felt that consistency across administrations is also important to ensure that investors play fairly. “Investors do not always like regulations,” said a participant, highlighting that the commodity boom super cycle led to an increase in profits by mining companies “by at least 200 per cent, yet tax revenues in the affected countries increasing by only 30 per cent.”

Further, the perception that ’54 countries constitute one country where there are no positive stories to be told’ could be attributed to failure by the media and the lack of attention to marketing by African governments.

A key issue that emerged is the persistence of information gaps, created by lack of country assessments. In addition, participants wondered whether those doing business in Africa might be contributing to the myths. Doing so, they said, creates entry barriers for potential competitors, and keeps resident players laughing all the way to the bank with premium returns.

“It is important to be here in Africa to understand the context; one has to understand where to invest and why one is investing,” stressed an investor.

But farmers need better access to help them grow and trade their products

A new report outlines challenges and solutions to Africa’s Agriculture and Agribusiness sectors

WASHINGTON –A new World Bank report “Growing Africa: Unlocking the Potential of Agribusiness,” says that Africa’s farmers and agribusinesses could create a trillion-dollar food market by 2030 if they can expand their access to more capital, electricity, better technology and irrigated land to grow high-value nutritious foods. The report calls on governments to work side-by-side with agribusinesses, to link farmers with consumers in an increasingly urbanized Africa.

“The time has come for making African agriculture and agribusiness a catalyst for ending poverty,” says Makhtar Diop, World Bank Vice President for Africa Region. “We cannot overstate the importance of agriculture to Africa’s determination to maintain and boost its high growth rates, create more jobs, significantly reduce poverty, and grow enough cheap, nutritious food to feed its families, export its surplus crops, while safeguarding the continent’s environment.”

New Findings

Good prospects: Africa’s food and beverage markets are projected to reach $1 trillion by 2030. By way of comparison, the current size of the market is $313 billion, offering the prospect of a three-fold increase, bringing more jobs, greater prosperity, less hunger, and significantly more opportunity enabling African farmers to compete globally.

Performance boost needed: Africa’s agriculture and agribusinesses are underperforming. Many developing countries such as Brazil, Indonesia, and Thailand now export more food products than all of Sub-Saharan Africa combined. Even as export shares are falling, import of food products is rising. The report argues that these adverse trends can be reversed through good policies, sustained public-private investment, and strong public-private partnerships backed by open, transparent procedures and processes along the entire value chain.

Untapped land and water: Africa has more than half of the world’s fertile yet unused land. Africa uses only two percent of its renewable water resources compared to the global average of five percent. Post-harvest losses run 15 to 20 percent for cereals and are higher for perishable products due to poor storage and other farm infrastructure.

While pointing to the need for significant investment in infrastructure the report carries an unequivocal warning: in the rush to allocate land for agribusiness, care needs to be taken so that acquisitions do not threaten people’s livelihoods and land purchases or leases are conducted according to ethical and socially responsible standards, including recognizing local users’ rights, holding consultations with local communities, and paying fair market-rate compensation for land acquired.

Adding Value

The report took an in-depth look at entire value chains – the process for taking products from farms to markets – for five commodities, rice, maize, cocoa, dairy and green beans. Africa is the world’s leading importer and consumer of rice, paying US$3.5 billion for import bills. By increasing rice production, Senegal can help meet local demand but more capital is needed together with greater investment in irrigation and easing restrictions on access to land. Ghana, another top importer, produces more varieties of rice but at significantly higher cost.

“Improving Africa’s agriculture and agribusiness sectors means higher incomes and more jobs. It also allows Africa to compete globally. Today, Brazil, Indonesia and Thailand each export more food products than all of sub-Saharan Africa combined. This must change,” says Jamal Saghir, World Bank Director for Sustainable Development in the Africa Region.

Success Story

Although much of Eastern and Southern Africa is well suited to dairy production, only Kenya has established a competitive dairy industry. Kenya’s industry is based partly on a formal sector for processed milk and other dairy products, but its dynamic informal sector (based mostly on raw milk) is even more important, supplying over 80 percent of the market. Kenya’s success largely comes from the entrepreneurship of smallholders’ who choose high milk-yielding cross-bred cattle, improved feeds and paid better attention to animal health. Also, Kenya success points to the importance of improving linkages to the formal sector through cooperative milk collection and milk cooling centers. Even though challenges remain government policy, especially flexibility in setting quality and safety standards for the informal chain were vital.

Looking Ahead

The report says agriculture and agribusiness should be at the top of the development and business agenda in Sub-Saharan Africa. Strong leadership and commitment from both public and private sectors is needed. For success, engaging with strategic “good practice” investors is critical, as is the need for strengthening of safeguards, land administration systems, and screening investments for sustainable growth. Concluding on an upbeat note, the report says Africa can draw on many local successes to guide governments and investors toward positive economic, social and environmental outcomes.

“African farmers and businesses must be empowered through good policies, increased public and private investments and strong public-private partnerships,” says Gaiv Tata, World Bank Director for Financial and Private Sector Development in Africa. “A strong agribusiness sector is vital for Africa’s economic future.”

WASHINGTON, March, 2013 - Africa’s farmers and agribusinesses could create a trillion-dollar food market by 2030 if they can expand their access to more capital, electricity, better technology and irrigated land to grow high-value nutritious foods, and if African governments can work more closely with agribusinesses to feed the region’s fast-growing urban population, according to a new World Bank report launched today.

According to the Growing Africa: Unlocking the Potential of Agribusiness report, Africa’s food systems, currently valued at US$313 billion a year from agriculture, could triple if governments and business leaders radically rethink their policies and support to agriculture, farmers, and agribusinesses, which together account for nearly 50 percent of Africa’s economic activity.

“The time has come for making African agriculture and agribusiness a catalyst for ending poverty,” says Makhtar Diop, World Bank Vice President for Africa Region. “We cannot overstate the importance of agriculture to Africa’s determination to maintain and boost its high growth rates, create more jobs, significantly reduce poverty, and grow enough cheap, nutritious food to feed its families, export its surplus crops, while safeguarding the continent’s environment.”

Agribusiness: strong growth opportunities

Due to a combination of population growth, rising incomes and urbanization, strong demand is driving global food and agricultural prices higher. Supply issues – slowing yield growth of major food crops, slowdown in research spending, land degradation and water scarcity issues, and a changing climate all mean that prices will remain high. In this new market climate, Africa has great potential for expanding its food and agricultural exports.

Africa holds almost 50 percent of the world’s uncultivated land which is suited for growing food crops, comprising as many as 450 million hectares that are not forested, protected, or densely populated. Africa uses less than 2 percent of its renewable water sources, compared to a world average of five percent. Its harvests routinely yield far less than their potential and, for mainstay food crops such as maize the yield gap is as wide as 60 to 80 percent. Post-harvest losses run 15 to 20 percent for cereals and are higher for perishable products due to poor storage and other farm infrastructure.

African countries can tap into booming markets in rice, maize, soybeans, sugar, palm oil, biofuel and feedstock and emerge as major exporters of these commodities on world markets similar to the successes scored by Latin America and Southeast Asia. For Sub-Saharan Africa, the most dynamic sectors are likely to be rice, feed grains, poultry, dairy, vegetable oils, horticulture and processed foods to supply domestic markets.

The report cautions that even as land will be needed for some agribusiness investments, such acquisitions can threaten people’s livelihoods and create local opposition unless land purchases or leases are conducted according to ethical and socially responsible standards, including recognizing local users’ rights, thorough consultations with local communities, and fair market-rate compensation for land acquired.

“Improving Africa’s agriculture and agribusiness sectors means higher incomes and more jobs. It also allows Africa to compete globally. Today, Brazil, Indonesia and Thailand each export more food products than all of sub-Saharan Africa combined. This must change,” says Jamal Saghir, World Bank Director for Sustainable Development in the Africa Region.

Value Chains are essential

Rice: Africa has become a major consumer and importer of rice, and Africans import half the rice they eat and pay top dollar for it, $3.5 billion per year and more. Ghana and Senegal are significant importers. Senegal is competitive among its neighbors, but it is held back by the difficulty farmers have in accessing land, capital, finance for irrigation expansion and appropriate crop varieties. Ghana produces fewer varieties of rice than Senegal, but at significantly higher cost, and levies 40 percent tariffs and other charges on imports. Poor grain quality, cleanliness and packaging are major deterrents for consumers constraining the sector’s performance.

Maize: A food staple for many Africans, maize is grown on 25 million hectares or 14 percent of cropped land. In Zambia where people eat on average 133 kilograms of cereals a year, maize provides half the calories in their diets. Zambia is competitive when importing maize but fails on exports. High transport costs, higher labor costs and lower yields combine to increase costs by one-third compared to Thailand, a major international producer of rain-fed maize. The report argues that Zambia’s future competitiveness depends on raising yields, reducing costs, and removing disincentives for the private sector in markets and trade.

In addition, the study reviewed value chains for cocoa in Ghana and dairy and green beans in Kenya.

“African farmers and businesses must be empowered through good policies, increased public and private investments and strong public-private partnerships,” says Gaiv Tata, World Bank Director for Financial and Private Sector Development in Africa. “A strong agribusiness sector is vital for Africa’s economic future.”

Solutions

Agriculture and agribusiness should be at the top of the development and business agenda in Sub-Saharan Africa. The report calls for strong leadership and commitment for both public and private sectors. As comparators, the report cites case studies from Uruguay, Indonesia and Malaysia. For success, engaging with strategic “good practice” investors is critical, as is the strengthening of safeguards, land administration systems, and screening investments for sustainable growth.

The report notes that Africa can also draw on many local successes to guide governments and investors toward positive economic, social and environmental outcomes.

WASHINGTON, March 4, 2013/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Africa’s farmers and agribusinesses could create a trillion-dollar food market by 2030 if they can expand their access to more capital, electricity, better technology and irrigated land to grow high-value nutritious foods, and if African governments can work more closely with agribusinesses to feed the region’s fast-growing urban population, according to a new World Bank report launched today.

According to the Growing Africa: Unlocking the Potential of Agribusinessreport, Africa’s food systems, currently valued at US$313 billion a year from agriculture, could triple if governments and business leaders radically rethink their policies and support to agriculture, farmers, and agribusinesses, which together account for nearly 50 percent of Africa’s economic activity.

“The time has come for making African agriculture and agribusiness a catalyst for ending poverty,” says Makhtar Diop, World Bank Vice President for Africa Region. “We cannot overstate the importance of agriculture to Africa’s determination to maintain and boost its high growth rates, create more jobs, significantly reduce poverty, and grow enough cheap, nutritious food to feed its families, export its surplus crops, while safeguarding the continent’s environment.”

Agribusiness: strong growth opportunities

Due to a combination of population growth, rising incomes and urbanization, strong demand is driving global food and agricultural prices higher. Supply issues – slowing yield growth of major food crops, slowdown in research spending, land degradation and water scarcity issues, and a changing climate all mean that prices will remain high. In this new market climate, Africa has great potential for expanding its food and agricultural exports.

Africa holds almost 50 percent of the world’s uncultivated land which is suited for growing food crops, comprising as many as 450 million hectares that are not forested, protected, or densely populated. Africa uses less than 2 percent of its renewable water sources, compared to a world average of five percent. Its harvests routinely yield far less than their potential and, for mainstay food crops such as maize the yield gap is as wide as 60 to 80 percent. Post-harvest losses run 15 to 20 percent for cereals and are higher for perishable products due to poor storage and other farm infrastructure.

African countries can tap into booming markets in rice, maize, soybeans, sugar, palm oil, biofuel and feedstock and emerge as major exporters of these commodities on world markets similar to the successes scored by Latin America and Southeast Asia. For Sub-Saharan Africa, the most dynamic sectors are likely to be rice, feed grains, poultry, dairy, vegetable oils, horticulture and processed foods to supply domestic markets.

The report cautions that even as land will be needed for some agribusiness investments, such acquisitions can threaten people’s livelihoods and create local opposition unless land purchases or leases are conducted according to ethical and socially responsible standards, including recognizing local users’ rights, thorough consultations with local communities, and fair market-rate compensation for land acquired.

“Improving Africa’s agriculture and agribusiness sectors means higher incomes and more jobs. It also allows Africa to compete globally. Today, Brazil, Indonesia and Thailand each export more food products than all of sub-Saharan Africa combined. This must change,” says Jamal Saghir, World Bank Director for Sustainable Development in the Africa Region.

Value Chains are essential

Rice: Africa has become a major consumer and importer of rice, and Africans import half the rice they eat and pay top dollar for it, $3.5 billion per year and more. Ghana and Senegal are significant importers. Senegal is competitive among its neighbors, but it is held back by the difficulty farmers have in accessing land, capital, finance for irrigation expansion and appropriate crop varieties. Ghana produces fewer varieties of rice than Senegal, but at significantly higher cost, and levies 40 percent tariffs and other charges on imports. Poor grain quality, cleanliness and packaging are major deterrents for consumers constraining the sector’s performance.

Maize: A food staple for many Africans, maize is grown on 25 million hectares or 14 percent of cropped land. In Zambia where people eat on average 133 kilograms of cereals a year, maize provides half the calories in their diets. Zambia is competitive when importing maize but fails on exports. High transport costs, higher labor costs and lower yields combine to increase costs by one-third compared to Thailand, a major international producer of rain-fed maize. The report argues that Zambia’s future competitiveness depends on raising yields, reducing costs, and removing disincentives for the private sector in markets and trade.

In addition, the study reviewed value chains for cocoa in Ghana and dairy and green beans in Kenya.

“African farmers and businesses must be empowered through good policies, increased public and private investments and strong public-private partnerships,” says Gaiv Tata, World Bank Director for Financial and Private Sector Development in Africa. “A strong agribusiness sector is vital for Africa’s economic future.”

Solutions

Agriculture and agribusiness should be at the top of the development and business agenda in Sub-Saharan Africa. The report calls for strong leadership and commitment for both public and private sectors. As comparators, the report cites case studies from Uruguay, Indonesia and Malaysia. For success, engaging with strategic “good practice” investors is critical, as is the strengthening of safeguards, land administration systems, and screening investments for sustainable growth.

The report notes that Africa can also draw on many local successes to guide governments and investors toward positive economic, social and environmental outcomes.

LIBERIAN President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf says the World loses $260 billion from poor water and sanitation,

Reports from Monrovia, Liberia, confirm the Nobel Peace Prize winner and Liberian President Sirleaf issued a stark warning in Monrovia on Wednesday to the UN Secretary-General’s High-level Panel that is meeting this week to address the future of international poverty reduction efforts, noting that economic losses due to poor water and sanitation access globally are costing $260 billion (US) every year.

The President, one of three co-Chairs of the UN Secretary-General’s High-level Panel of Eminent Persons on the Post-2015 Development Agenda, stated on Wednesday (30 January 2013) that:

“$260 billion in economic losses annually is directly linked to inadequate water supply and sanitation around the world. We must take this issue more seriously.”

“All too often access to adequate sanitation in particular is seen as an outcome of development, rather than a driver of economic development and poverty reduction. South Korea, Malaysia and Singapore in the 1960’s and 1970’s demonstrated the potential for boosting economic development by addressing sanitation.”

In addition, the President’s comments came during the High-level Panel meeting in Monrovia which was broadly focused on the theme of “economic transformation”.

Also, The Panel, which includes 27 leaders from government, the private sector and civil society, is co-chaired by UK Prime Minister David Cameron, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono of Indonesia and President Sirleaf. The group is tasked with producing a report in May to the Secretary-General containing recommendations for a development agenda for the world.

The current Millennium Development Goal targets on water and sanitation have had starkly differing levels of progress and political and financial support. While the drinking water target – to halve the proportion of people worldwide without access to safe drinking water – was met five years early in 2010, the sanitation goal is decades off track. Progress in Africa specifically is even worse with sub-Saharan Africa expected to meet this goal a century and a half late, according to the latest research.

Girish Menon, Director of International Programmes for the international water and sanitation charity WaterAid, said:

“The High Level Panel must grasp this unique opportunity to put together an ambitious vision for eradicating poverty in our time. For this aspiration to be realised there must be a central focus on achieving universal access to water, sanitation and hygiene.”

“International efforts on the existing Millennium Development Goals have shown us that to succeed in areas like education, child health and gender equality progress on access to water, sanitation and hygiene is crucial. Integrating these approaches will be the key to success.”

Liberia is in many ways typical of sub-Saharan African countries, with access to safe drinking water at 73% of the population, far exceeding levels of access to decent sanitation, at only 18%. The average across sub-Saharan Africa to these services sits at 61% for water but just 30% for sanitation.

President Sirleaf, who is also Goodwill Ambassador for water, sanitation and hygiene in Africa, also stated:

“Without more progress in providing access to safe water and effective sanitation, children will continue to miss school, health costs will continue to be a drag on national economies, adults will continue to miss work, and women and girls, and it’s almost always women and girls, will continue to spend hours every day fetching water, typically from dirty sources.”

According to a 2012 WaterAid report, the lives of 2.5 million people around the world would be saved every year if everybody had access to safe water and adequate sanitation.

The international charity has also highlighted that if governments meet the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) to halve the proportion of their population without sanitation by 2015 the lives of 400,000 children under the age of five will be saved around the world – over 100,000 in Nigeria, and 66,000 in India alone.

WaterAid will be in Liberia all week, with spokespeople available for interview on the post-MDG agenda.

• The $260 (US) billion figures relating to the global cost of a lack of water and sanitation access was calculated in a 2012 World Health Organisation report that can be found at http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/…/2012/globalcosts.pdf
• More information on the High Level Panel can be found at http://www.post2015hlp.org
• Figures on rates to access to water and sanitation can be found http://www.wssinfo.org
• Figures on the impact of meeting the MDG water and sanitation targets on mortality can be found at http://www.wateraid.org/documents/Saving_Lives_Notes_Final.pdf
• 783 million people in the world do not have access to safe water. This is roughly one in eight of the world’s population.
• 2.5 billion people in the world do not have access to adequate sanitation, this is 39% of the world’s population.
• For every $1 invested in water and sanitation, $4 is returned in increased productivity.

WaterAid transforms lives by improving access to safe water, hygiene and sanitation in some of the world’s poorest communities. We work in 27 countries across Africa, Asia, Central America and the Pacific region. Over the past 30 years, WaterAid has reached 15.9 million people with safe water and, since 2004, 11 million people with sanitation.

Slowdown in Productivity Felt Across the Globe in 2012, Little Improvement Projected for 2013

NEW YORK, Jan., 2013 /PRNewswire/ – For the second straight year, productivity growth weakened substantially across the globe in 2012, according to a new report from The Conference Board. The 2013 Productivity Brief, based on data from The Conference Board Total Economy Database™, reports that productivity grew by 1.8 percent worldwide in 2012, down from 2.3 percent in 2011 and 3.6 percent in 2010. With the exception of the 2008–9 recession, this represents the slowest productivity growth in a decade.

Labor productivity growth — that is, additional output per unit of labor — relates output growth to changes in the employment market. In 2012, world GDP growth fell to 3.1 percent from 3.8 percent in 2011, while employment growth fell only slightly from 1.4 to 1.3 percent. “What makes this year’s Brief so unique is that poor productivity performance has been so widespread that there are very few countries or regions in 2012 that showed any productivity improvement at all,” said The Conference Board Chief Economist Bart van Ark. “Facing slow global demand, companies are using labor and capital less efficiently, in turn forcing further cutbacks.”

“In 2013 and beyond, productivity will be key to the performance of the global economy,” van Ark said. “Even if labor markets recover more strongly than predicted, GDP growth is unlikely to accelerate past projections without a turnaround that makes jobs more productive, rather than simply more numerous. The situation is clearly resonant in The Conference Board CEO Challenge® 2013, our recent global survey that found CEOs intensely focused on the internal capabilities of their organizations. For such business leaders, the urgency of the productivity challenge means investing in the training, innovation, and operational excellence necessary to shape a more efficient workforce.”

Stagnant Output Undermining Productivity of Mature Economies

On average, the productivity slowdown across the advanced economies in 2012 was to a much greater extent attributable to declining output growth, rather than labor market performance.

In the United States, total hours worked grew 2 percent in 2012, doubling the previous year’s 1 percent growth. This renewed traction in the labor market was offset, however, by GDP growth that only rose from 1.8 to 2.2 percent. As a result, labor productivity growth fell dramatically to 0.2 percent —one of the slowest growth rates observed in the post-World War II period. Output per hour grew slower than 2012′s 0.2 percent just twice: in 1974 (-1.0 percent) and 1982 (-0.8 percent).

In the Euro Area, output and total hours worked both contracted in 2012. With the former decline outstripping the latter, growth in labor productivity in 2012 fell to 0.6 percent from 1.2 percent in 2011. At 2.3 percent, Spain posted the highest labor productivity growth within the currency bloc, driven by a large contraction (−3.7 percent) in hours worked. In Greece, at the other extreme, labor productivity fell at −1.3 percent. In Germany and France, the productivity growth rates also fell considerably in 2012. In Germany, output per hour increased 0.4 percent, down from 1.6 percent in 2011, and in France it dropped to −0.2 percent down from 1.4 percent in 2011.

Conditions in the wider European Union-27 largely mirrored those of the smaller 17-member bloc. Some Eastern and Central European economies were exceptions: Labor productivity in Poland grew 2.2 percent in 2012 and, with output per hour still just 38.7 percent that of the U.S., maintains substantial scope for improvement. In the United Kingdom, by contrast, a much larger than anticipated GDP contraction, coupled with stable increases in hours worked, turned labor productivity growth dramatically negative in 2012, at −1.3 percent. Output per hour worked in the U.K. now stands at just 80 percent of the U.S. level, some 10 percentage points lower than its French and German rivals.

In Japan, tepid recovery from the March 2011 tsunami — both GDP and total hours worked grew just 0.6 percent — left productivity growth stalled at 0 percent.

Silver Linings Harder to Find in Emerging Economies

In recent years, stagnant gains in the mature economies offered an opening for other economies to rapidly make up productivity gulfs that remains yawning in absolute terms. In 2012, however, emerging and developing economies — where labor productivity growth fell from 4.7 to 3.8 percent — contributed as much to the overall slowdown as their mature counterparts.

China still boasts among the largest productivity gains in the world. But after falling from 8.8 to 7.4 percent (largely on the basis of slowing GDP growth), labor productivity growth in 2012 was the lowest since 1999. As China maneuvers to climb the value chain, incremental efficiency gains will likely be harder to come by than the previous decade; the next leap will require investments in technology and innovation that take a significantly longer time to come to fruition. Likewise driven by slowing output growth as well as unique structural challenges, labor productivity in India grew at the slowest rate since 2002, falling to 3.7 percent in 2012 from 4.2 percent in 2011 (and 6.2 percent in 2010).

The only region in Asia — or, indeed, the world — to see widespread productivity acceleration in 2012 was the ASEAN countries in Southeast Asia, where strengthening domestic sectors offset the global slowdown in exports. Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam all saw labor productivity growth rates rise. Indonesia experienced a minor slowdown to 4.2 percent, still historically high.

A dramatic slowdown continued in Latin America, where labor productivity grew at just 1.2 percent in 2012, down from 2 percent in 2011 and 3.1 percent in 2010. Sputtering global demand has revealed serious underlying weaknesses in Brazil, where deteriorating output turned the productivity growth rate negative (−0.3 percent), compared to 4.1 percent in 2010. Mexico has held up much better; though its labor productivity growth fell to 0.7 percent in 2012, the decline was predicated on stable output growth and rapid expansion of employment.

Weakening oil prices and continued political unrest also slowed productivity growth in much of the Middle East. Meanwhile, labor productivity across Africa grew a modest 0.8 percent in 2012, tamped down by rapidly expanding workforces in many countries. In Russia, the growth rate fell slightly from 3.8 to 3.4 percent in 2012. Because employment only grew 0.3 percent, most of Russia’s output growth last year was driven by productivity gains.

Searching for a More Productive 2013?

At 1.9 percent, the Productivity Brief projects labor productivity growth will be nearly unchanged overall in 2013 – but rest on a slightly reordered constellation of regional trends. U.S. labor productivity should rise slightly, from 0.2 to 0.6 percent, while the Euro Area moves in precisely the opposite direction, from 0.6 to 0.2 percent. Within Europe, last year’s large discrepancies between countries are projected to narrow: Productivity will likely be flat in the U.K., with positive gains returning to France (0.2 percent) and ticking up in Germany (0.8 percent). But Spain’s impressive productivity growth is expected to plummet to 0.4 percent in 2013, as continued GDP contraction meets a labor market already pared to the bone.

Meanwhile, productivity growth is poised to soften further in China and, especially, India — where gains in labor productivity may fall to just 2.9 percent. Brazil’s situation remains fraught, but a modest strengthening of output combined with more cautious hiring plans should return Brazilian labor productivity to positive growth in 2013, at perhaps 1.2 percent. Likewise, the struggling Turkish economy is projected to see productivity growth improve from 1.0 to 1.6 percent, because of a labor market likely to decelerate even faster than GDP. Surprisingly, it may be Africa that offers the best hope in 2013 for substantial productivity gains driven by strong, accelerating output growth; several countries in the region — the world’s least productive in absolute terms — are positioned for burgeoning exports to other emerging markets and a rising middle-class consumer segment at home.

About The Conference BoardThe Conference Board is a global, independent business membershipand research association working in the public interest. Our mission is unique: To provide the world’s leading organizationswith the practical knowledge they need to improve their performance and better serve society. The Conference Board is a non-advocacy, not-for-profit entity holding 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt status in the United States. www.conference-board.org

Russian Railways Logistics started transportation of the finished goods produced by JSC Synthez-Kauchuk for export. The first 30 containers with the company cargo were shipped at the end of December 2012 to India, Indonesia and South-East Asia. Russian Railways Logistics branch in St. Petersburg provided the service including sending trucks to the plant, transportation of the cargo to logistic terminal in St. Petersburg, Russia, cargo containerization at the terminal, delivery of loaded containers to the port, port forwarding and sea freight. Starting from January 2013 the current scheme with the truck involvement will be supplemented by the option of empty containers provision to the plant and returning the loaded containers by rail to the port.

JSC Synthez-Kauchuk is one of largest Russian producers of propylene, cis-isoprene, epichlorohydrin and other types of synthetic rubber. In 2009 the company became the second company in Russia to start commercial production of new environmentally friendly styrene butadiene rubber. Currently the company exports its products to the countries like Italy, France, Spain, Germany, Finland, Poland, Hungary, China, India, Indonesia, and South Korea.

ABOUT Russian Railways Logistics

JSC Russian Railways Logistics was founded in 2010 for the purpose of logistics business development within “Russian Railways” Holding. In cooperation with Russian Railways Holding subsidiaries and leading global transportation companies RZD Logistics offers high-quality delivery solutions for its customers all over the world.

In 2011 RZD Logistics organized more than 1.5 mn tons of cargo delivery. Net profit of the company of amounted to RUB97.2 mn in 2011.

New Market Research Report Added in MarketResearchReports.Biz Reports Database Power Markets in Emerging Economies – Market Outlook, Capacity and Generation, Opportunities and Challenges to 2020

Power Markets in Emerging Economies Market Outlook, Capacity and Generation, Opportunities and Challenges to 2020

Summary

GlobalData’s report, “Power Markets in Emerging Economies Market Outlook, Capacity and Generation, Opportunities and Challenges to 2020″, gives detailed information on seven emerging countries, namely, India, China, Russia, Brazil, South Africa, Mexico and Indonesias power market. It provides historical and forecast numbers for generation, capacity up to 2020 with key opportunities and major challenges in power market.GDP, population and consumption growth trend till 2017 is also captured The research analyzes upcoming power projects, key import and export trends, regulatory frameworks and infrastructure for the market. This coupled with profiles of key market participants provides a comprehensive understanding of the markets competitive scenario.

Scope

Seven emerging countries namely, India, China, Russia, Brazil, South Africa, Mexico and Indonesia are covered in the report.
This report begins with an executive summary describing the current key growth trends in the power sector of key emerging economies.
Chapter three provides an introduction to the key emerging economies
Chapter four provides lists the key opportunities and challenges
Chapter five provides a comparison of the key emerging economies, on the basis of their prevailing macroeconomic trends, power supply security, future development potential and regulatory frameworks.
Chapters six through 12 provide details of the market outlook, capacity and generation, government regulations, key opportunities and major challenges in the power sector of seven emerging countries: Brazil, Mexico, India, Indonesia, Russia, South Africa and China.

Reasons to buy

Facilitate decision-making based on strong historic and forecast data on the power sector of high growth countries
Develop strategies based on the latest power sector trends.
Position yourself to gain the maximum advantage from power generation growth potential.
Identify key partners and business development avenues.
Respond to your competitors business structure, strategy and prospects.

Power Markets in Emerging Economies – Market Outlook, Capacity and Generation, Opportunities and Challenges to 2020

Summary

GlobalData’s report, “Power Markets in Emerging Economies – Market Outlook, Capacity and Generation, Opportunities and Challenges to 2020″, gives detailed information on seven emerging countries, namely, India, China, Russia, Brazil, South Africa, Mexico and Indonesia’s power market. It provides historical and forecast numbers for generation, capacity up to 2020 with key opportunities and major challenges in power market.GDP, population and consumption growth trend till 2017 is also captured The research analyzes upcoming power projects, key import and export trends, regulatory frameworks and infrastructure for the market. This coupled with profiles of key market participants provides a comprehensive understanding of the market’s competitive scenario.

- This report begins with an executive summary describing the current key growth trends in the power sector of key emerging economies.

- Chapter three provides an introduction to the key emerging economies

- Chapter four provides lists the key opportunities and challenges

- Chapter five provides a comparison of the key emerging economies, on the basis of their prevailing macroeconomic trends, power supply security, future development potential and regulatory frameworks.

- Chapters six through 12 provide details of the market outlook, capacity and generation, government regulations, key opportunities and major challenges in the power sector of seven emerging countries: Brazil, Mexico, India, Indonesia, Russia, South Africa and China.

Reasons to buy

- Facilitate decision-making based on strong historic and forecast data on the power sector of high growth countries

- Develop strategies based on the latest power sector trends.

- Position yourself to gain the maximum advantage from power generation growth potential.

- Identify key partners and business development avenues.

- Respond to your competitors’ business structure, strategy and prospects.

1 Table of Contents

1 Table of Contents 4

1.1 List of Tables 6

1.2 List of Figures 9

2 Introduction to Emerging Economies 11

2.1 GlobalData Report Guidance 12

3 Power Market in Emerging Economies 13

3.1 Seven Emerging Countries Consitutes More than One-Third of the Global Power Consumption 13

3.2 Half of the Global Capacity Additions are Likely to be Contributed by Seven Emerging Countries by 2020 13